I will be sure to take this up when we are putting together instructions this Spring. UK Immigation has agreed to put together a "how to apply" guide for our event. I will be sure this issue get put to them. Ellie WMF Conference Coordinator On Jan 12, 2014, at 2:08 PM, Muhammad Yahia <shipmaster(a)gmail.com> wrote:

I have already brought this up with them and waiting to hear back (first response didn't sound like there was much we can do frankly...) My comment about the spring is that is when we will have a guide for our attendees who need visas. They said it would be ready in the next couple of months. We won't be notifying people about their scholarships until April. And while we are on this subject, I want to reiterate that we expect individuals to cover their own visa expenses as well as contacting the British Consulate on their own or through a visa service in their home country. The UK accepts applications for visas 90 days prior to the expected date of entering the UK (applying before doesn't do any good.) Ellie On Jan 12, 2014, at 3:42 PM, aude <aude.wiki(a)gmail.com> wrote:

Do the invitation letter really change a thing? I will be surprised to see a consular waive all those requirements because of a 1-paged white paper with black in on, signed by an organization called Wikimedia UK. For instance, in Ghana, consulate don't care who or what is inviting you, nor even take delight in reading the letter. If the requirements say get a certain amount and or fulfil certain requirements, please get that with you. Consular even reject visa from applicants invited by United Nations, so I'm still wondering how much impact a letter can do. Get your documents right. Its not easy, but it'll save you from disappointments. Rexford | Africa Center | wikiafrica.net | sent from Tab On Jan 13, 2014 3:31 AM, "Muhammad Yahia" <shipmaster(a)gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Chris, That was the information relayed to me, I will ask the person who asked the question for the source. It maybe be at the UAE/Turkey embassy website. On Monday, January 13, 2014, Chris Keating wrote: -- Best Regards, Muhammad Yahia

Hmmmm. As far as I can see from http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/general/requir… the general requirement is to prove a number of things, which are listed below. I am no expert but it seems to me that the "10,000 USD and a house in Iran" is a suggestion of proving that a) you have enough money to sustain you for the 6-month period of a tourist visa b) you have good reasons to return to Iran after Wikimania I would hope that there are other ways to demonstrate these things - .e.g. suggest that with a letter of invitation it would be possible to argue that you only need the funds to live for the week of Wikimania. Though sadly I can't guarantee that the UK Border Agency will be sensible..... Chris - you are 18 or over; - you intend to visit the UK for no more than 6 months (or 12 months if you will be accompanying an academic visitor); - you intend to leave the UK at the end of your visit; - you have enough money to support and accommodate yourself without working or help from public funds, or you and any dependants will be supported and accommodated by relatives or friends; - you can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and - you are *not* in transit to a country outside the 'Common Travel Area' (Ireland, the UK, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands). You must also be able to show that, during your visit, you *do not* intend to: - live in the UK for extended periods through frequent or successive visits; - take paid or unpaid employment, produce goods or provide services, including the selling of goods or services directly to members of the public; - do a course of study, as long as this study is not the main reason for your visit (see 'permitted study' below); - marry or register a civil partnership, or give notice of marriage or civil partnership; - carry out the activities of a business visitor<http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/business/>, a sports visitor<http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/sports/> or an entertainer visitor<http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-immigration/visiting/entertainer/>; or - receive private medical treatment. On Tue, Jan 14, 2014 at 3:50 PM, Muhammad Yahia &lt;shipmaster(a)gmail.com&gt;wrote;wrote:

On Jan 18, 2014 10:24 PM, "Federico Leva (Nemo)" &lt;nemowiki(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: on all Wikimedia projects if they don't leave UK. It's like capital sentence, who wouldn't comply? It's enough for me but I don't think that promise convices people in embassy. > Nemo > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > Wikimania-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l

It is a valid blocking reason. It falls under the category of "cross-wiki abuse" in the clause "inappropriate use of user rights with access to private information". Wikimania is officially a Wikimedia project even though it's offline. ;) Deryck On 19 January 2014 03:29, Sven Manguard &lt;svenmanguard(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:

Erm...I disagree, and cannot imagine that such a blocking reason would be valid on very many projects. The only private information involved is the user's own private information, which the user can elect to disclose or not disclose (i.e., that the user was granted a visa for attendance at Wikimania). It would certainly be inconsiderate, and would be a valid reason for putting the user on some form of "blacklist" for future requests for support to attend other Wikimedia-sponsored conferences. Risker/Anne On 18 January 2014 22:15, Deryck Chan &lt;deryckchan(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote:

I think it was an ironic comment, but there's some truth to it, which was expounded in the subsequent posts. On 19 January 2014 16:52, Lodewijk &lt;lodewijk(a)effeietsanders.org&gt; wrote:

Ellie Young eyoung(a)wikimedia.org On Jan 19, 2014, at 8:49 AM, Tobias &lt;church.of.emacs.ml(a)googlemail.com&gt; wrote: We in fact do handle requests for financial assistance for VISA application fees on a case by case basis. We are still expecitng people to cover, but if circumstances are so dire financially we will assist.

On Jan 19, 2014, at 12:51 PM, Muhammad Yahia &lt;shipmaster(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: Yes and I haven't heard back from them yet.... People should apply regardless...

The best thing we can do for people that are priced out of coming or who can't get a visa is to make sure that we get the videos uploaded within days, not months or years, of the event. They might not be able to come to the event, but at least with the videos they won't be out of the loop and shut out of the discussion that follows. Sven On Feb 8, 2014 8:13 AM, "Liangent" &lt;liangent(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: